Provigil For Depression: An Alternative To Antidepressants Or Medicinal Troublemaker? By Rory Herts At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Provigil for Depression: An Alternative to Antidepressants or Medicinal Troublemaker?

Antidepressant medicine use reached an all-time high in 2006 with doctors prescribing the differing forms of antidepressants more than any other type of medicine. That’s right, doctors are prescribing these drugs more than heart or cancer medication.

On one hand, that’s great news. People are realizing that they don’t have to suffer from depression in silence. On the other hand, it means that more and more people are using these drugs even though their long term side effects can vary greatly from person-to-person.

Because of this, some patients are looking for medicine to treat depression and anxiety, but don’t want to take a common antidepressant for whatever reason. What alternatives do they have? Recent studies have touted the benefits of Provigil for depression treatment.

What is Provigil?

Prescribing Provigil for depression is a fairly recent trend. Providial, the commercial trade name for Modafanil, is used mainly to treat narcolepsy (a disorder known for its often uncontrollable bouts of sleepiness during the day) as a way to increase alertness and energy.

The way Provigil works is not truly known. It doesn’t work like other stimulants that contain amphetamines and won’t cause common side effects that come with other stimulant use, like irritability, restlessness or anxiety. Provigil won’t cause users to “crash” as the pill works its way through the body and some feel that their memory capacity increases while taking Provigil. This makes it a popular drug to help people stay awake for long periods of time without feeling horrible.

Is It Wise to Use Provigil for Depression?

Like all drugs used to treat multiple ailments, it’s wise to use caution when using it for other conditions outside the recommended FDA use. The Food and Drug Administration has not approved using Provigil for depression or memory enhancements. However, many studies conducted by medical professionals have shown promising results for the use of Provigil for depression treatment.

Using Provigil for depression or anxiety treatment is best left for your doctor to determine and you shouldn’t rush to assume that it will work for you. Only your doctor truly knows the side effects of the drug and can advise you of the potential results of using it to treat your own condition.

Your doctor should also be involved in using Provigil for depression because its long term effects on the treatment are not known. It has the potential to work wonders for your depression, or it could cause you to feel more depressed, depending on your body’s chemistry. Of course, this is the case with all mood-altering drugs.

So Should I Really Think about Provigil for Depression Treatment?

The best idea is to talk to your doctor about treatment options. Your doctor will make the determination that yes, using Provigil for depression is right for you. He may also determine that something else will be more effective.

Treating depression and anxiety is an often confusing and trying process. However, with trial and error, you will find the best combination of treatments to help control what ails you.

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